Observers of the city and its political machinations, including revenue sources, are perhaps unduly hopeful about the potential for evolution and progress under the Lightfoot mayoralty—fare-free public transportation, anyone?—but there are signs that the old way doesn’t have to be the old way. ProPublica and WBEZ reported that the amnesty announced on city sticker arrears, which expired on October 31, could affect a half-million drivers, alongside a prorated city vehicle sticker plan under City Clerk Anna Valencia. We’re talking about an aggregated total of a cold half-billion dollars of debt held since 1990 over the heads of the least likely to be able to pay. ProPublica analyzed records back to 2007 and found that the Rahm Emanuel-sponsored penalty increase “coupled with a pattern of racial disparities in sticker ticketing has exacerbated a uniquely Chicago phenomenon: Thousands of mostly black drivers filing for bankruptcy to cope with ticket debt.” (Ray Pride)
